Birthday Bash!

Abdelbaset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi is celebrating his 58th birthday today in a mansion surrounded by friends, family, and government well wishers.

It was not supposed to be so.

Al-Megrahi was released years early for reasons of compassion from a 27 year sentence after he was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. Al-Magrahi was given the sentence for his part in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie.

At the time of his release eight months ago, Al-Megrahi was assumed to have three months to live. Also at the time of his release there was much speculation that Al-Megrahi's affliction was not as serious as his doctors alleged. His personal doctors have refused to make public his medical records and Scottish officials at the time of his release ceded the medical care of Al-Megrahi to his doctors.

Despite his terminal ill-health, Al-Megrahi has been able to welcome over 30,000 well-wishers at his bedside while also finding time to work on an autobiography. Truly his recovery has been remarkable.

Pan Am flight 103 had no survivors.